Sometimes familiar tunes with new words can be surprising. I had such a moment in 2017 at a remembrance service in St. James Cathedral, Toronto. As the first notes of the tune commonly associated with Jerusalem (Blake’s “And did those feet in ancient time”) rang out—a melody deeply tied to English patriotism—I was jolted from my reverie. This wasn’t a place I expected to hear a hymn that evoked the days of English dominion over British North America. Yet, this wasn’t Jerusalem; it was a different hymn entirely: “O Day of Peace,” a piece that has since become one of my favorites. I believe it captures, in twofold measure, the solemn reflections of Remembrance Day and Veterans Day, and now speaks to America, my current home, as it emerges from the conflict and bitterness of the 2024 presidential election.

On the surface, Jerusalem is a hymn in which Blake wonders if paradise was ever built in England during a supposed visit by Jesus, contrasting this vision with the “dark Satanic Mills” of the industrial revolution. Sir Hubert Parry’s powerful tune underscores this contrast, especially in lines like:

And was Jerusalem builded here,

Among these dark Satanic Mills?

…

Till we have built Jerusalem,

In England’s green & pleasant Land.

Parry’s music amplifies Blake’s vision, holding on the word “Jerusalem” to reflect on a lost paradise, then shifting to emphasize “built,” leading the singer from reflection on the past to a hope for restoration—transforming “these dark satanic mills” into a land that is green and pleasant once more. It’s this powerful blend of text, tune, and association that the writer of O Day of Peace taps into in his own lyrics, setting them to this same evocative melody.

In the first stanza of O Day of Peace, Carl P. Daw, Jr. invokes the hope of peace brought by Christ’s final advent as both a prayer and a call to action for peace here on earth. Daw’s lyrics echo the vision of Isaiah 11:6, where the prophet describes the harmony of creation:

“The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb / The leopard shall lie down with the young goat // The calf and the young lion and the fatling together / And a little child shall lead them.”

Drawing on the strength of the Jerusalem melody, Daw uses the music to highlight key lines at the conclusion of his two stanzas:

“Till by God’s grace our warring world

shall see Christ’s promised reign of peace

…

The hope of peace shall be fulfilled,

for all the earth shall know the Lord.”

This hymn with its new emphasis on “grace” for earthly peace and “peace” for that final shalom rest of Christ’s second coming, and with both stanzas looking toward the future, speaks powerfully to the divisions within and between societies.

This year has been exhausting. Wars continue—the conflict between Ukraine and Russia, the expanding war in Gaza and Israel, and the ongoing civil wars in Sudan and Myanmar. The U.S. election has exposed deep rifts in American society over our vision for the country. Our world feels torn apart, embroiled in selfish schemes, with society fraying at the seams. And yet, it’s precisely here that the hope of that day of peace shines brightest. Regardless of where we stand on war, politics, or faith, we all long for a day of true peace. It’s okay to pause, remember, and reflect—but always with an eye toward that final dawn. I hope this hymn helps lead you there.

_{We will remember them, Remembrance Day 2024}